Engine-starting apparatus



Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,090

J. BIJUR ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Feb/18, 191 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOR/VEY Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,090

J- BIJUR ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Filed Fe 18, 1916 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IM a? A TTOB/VE Y Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

JOSEPH BIJUR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGEN'OB, BYJMIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOECLIPSE MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK.

ENGINE-STARTING APPARATUS,

Application filed February 18, 19.16.. Serial No. 79,025.

This invention relates to engine-starting apparatus, and with regard tocertain more specific features, to motor-operated eng1nestarters inwhich a motor-driven pinion is shifted into and out of engagement with agear connected with the engine shaft.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide starting apparatus forinternal 'com bustion engines, which shall be of simple construction andefficient and reliable action Another object is toprovide a simple andcompact engine-starting apparatus 1n winch the danger of damaging theparts by 1amming or otherwise, is minimized or eliminated.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this general type, in whichone of the gears relatively movable axially, is automatically forcedinto meshing condltion 1n case the teeth of the two gears tend to meetend to end.

Another object is to provide, in a movable pinion starter, practical andefficientmeans for preveting the accidental rotationof the pinion, as,for example, when the 0 engine is running.

Another object is to provide an inexpensive and efficient constructionof sleeve and motor-driven pinion, enabling the parts to be easilyassembled and readily disassembled in case of inspection or repair.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and

art pointed out hereinafter.

e invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which are to be exemlified in the structure hereinafter desori ed, and the scope of the aplithreaded sleeve.

tate under its own line 5-5 of Figure 1, omitting certain parts to showthe construction more clearly.

Similar reference characters indicate similar arts throughout theseveral views of the rawings.

This invention relates to apparatus for starting engines such asinternal combustion engines, which are ordinarily incapable of startingwithout the assistance of external power. In a preferred form of theinvention, the fiy-wheel of the engine is provided with a gear, which,at appropriate times, is meshed with a pinion driven from an electricmotor. To start the engine, power is applied to the motor, and therotation of the motor effects both the meshing of pinion and gear andthe rotation of the engine shaft through the medium of the pinion andgear. When the engine has started to ropower, the pinion and gear aredisengaged g an action similar to that shown in my atent No. 1,095,696,dated May 5, 1914, and the power is out off from the motor eithermanually or automatically, as may be desired, these features ofconstruction in themselves forming no part of the present invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, there is shown in Figure 1an engine 1 comprising a casing 2 and shaft 3, upon which is mounted afly-wheel 4, carrying a gear 5, hereinafter referred to as theenginedriven or fly-wheel gear. A motor shown conventionally at 6, hasmounted upon its shaft 7 a gear 8 meshing with the gear 9, which isfixed upon and revoluble with a sleeve 10 externally screw-threaded asat 11. Mounted upon the sleeve 10 for rotation and axial movement withrespect to said sleeve is a pinion 12, hereinafter referred to as thesliding or motor-driven pinion. This pinion is provided with internalscrew-threads 13 registering with the external screw threads 11 of thesleeve 10. From this it will be clear that if there is relative rotationbetween sleeve and pinion, there will be relative axial movement betweenthese two elements, owing to the screw-threaded connection between them;and conversely, if relative rotation be prevented, relative axialmovement will likewise be prevented. In the operation of the apparatus,power is applied to the motor to set its shaft 7 and gear 8 in rotation;this transmits motion to the gear 9 and sleeve 10; the pinion 12 doesnot atonce acquire the speed of rotation of the sleeve 10, due to thethe jamming of the teethof inion and gear inertia of said pinion; andthe pin 15 is almost instantaneously re ieved and any mounted inthepinion 12 snaps over a fairly damage to the parts of the apparatus isprestiif leaf or blade spring 16 mounted as herevented by the promptrelief afforded by the inafter described. Thus the sleeve 10 rotatesco-operation of spring 20 and associated faster than the pinion 12, andthis relative parts.

rotation of sleeve and pinion causes the lat- The leftward movement ofthe sleeve 10 ter to travel axially of the former, toward. is limited bya fixed portion 30 of the frame, the left in Figure 1, and intoengagement into which is mounted the fixed pin or shaft with the teeth17 of the fly-wheel gear 5. 31, carrying the sleeve 10.

The teeth 17 of the fly-wheel gear 5 and the In the usual action of theapparatus, that teeth 18 of the motor-driven gear 12 preferis, when theteeth 17 and 18 mesh without ably have their adjacent edges tapered, asappreciable abutting end to end, the leftward indicated in Figure 4, sothat unless the teeth shifting of thepinion is cushioned and limmeetalmost exactly end to end, said teeth ited by the spring 26 and adishedwasher 33 will satisfactorily mesh with one another, of spring steelsurrounding the sleeve 10 adthe tapered surfaces effecting a slightrotajacent the outer or right-hand face of the tion of the inion, ifnecessary, to insure the collar 25. In this action, the washer 33 ismeshing of teeth. Usually in the operaflattened out and the spring 26compressed tion of the starting apparatus, the pinion 12 to such anextent as will cause the pinion to thus start the" and gear 5 will bebrought into mesh withturn with the sleeve and out any difficulty,either with or without the engine. aid of these tapered end surfaces ofthe teeth l/Vhen the engine has begun to rotate un- 17, 18. However, theteeth 18 might jam' der its own power, the pinion 12, now driven againstthe teeth 17 and in order to prevent from the gear 5 instead of drivingit, rothe trouble that would ensue in such a case, tates faster than themotor-driven sleeve the present invention contemplates the pro- 10, andthis excess of speed causes the pinion vision of certain mechanism, apreferred to travel along the sleeve toward the right, type of whichwill now be described out of engagement with the gear 5. As the In thestarting operation, as the motorpinion 12 approaches the rightward limitdriven pinion 12 travels toward the left, of its travel, the pin 15thereon begins to there is no appreciable axial thrust on the strikeagainst the projecting apex 34 of the sleeve 10, because there is noopposition to fixed blade spring 16, as indicated in solid the axialtravel of the pinion 12. If, howlines in Figure 3; the spring yields, toever, the inion teeth 18 should jam against allow the pin to pass by theapex 34 thereof. the fly-w eel gear-teeth 17, the pinionwill A loosewasher 35 prevents the pinion 12 be unable to travel further toward theleft, from jamming against thegear 9 or parts and since the sleeve is atthis time rotated by revoluble therewith. By this time the the motor atconsiderable speed, there will power may be shut off from the motor andbe considerable end-thrust toward the right, the motor-driven sleeve 10come to rest. upon the sleeve, since said sleeve is unable .The spring16 offers enough resistance to to push the pinion axially toward theleft. the pin 15 so that the pin does not pass by The rightward movementof the sleeve 10 is the spring without the exertion of consider opposedby the compression of a relatively able torque upon the pinion 12 andhence light coil spring 20 mounted between the this acts as a detent,and serves to prevent end-plates 21 on the gear 9, and a suitable theaccidental rotation of the pinion 12 and portion 23 of the fixedframework. As the the consequent possible contacting of gear sleeve 10moves toward the right, the sleeve and pinion, owing to the vibrationsof the carries with it a collar 25, surrounding the apparatus when theengine or car is running. sleeve and connected to a stiff coil spring26, whose other end bears against the end flange gear 9 has beenreferred to as being mounted 27 of said sleeve. The collar is, ofcourse, upon the sleeve 10. A preferred mounting rotating at the samespeed as the sleeve and for the gear is illustrated in Figures 1,2

as the collar abuts against the left end 28 of and 5 as com rising apair of end-plates the motor-driven pinion 12, the frictional 21, eachbolte as at 36 to the gear 9, the

creased friction at the pinion threads, or or socket for the left end ofthe spring' both, causes the pinion to rotate slightly, 20, whoseresistance to compression keeps enough to bring the pinion teeth 18 intothe end-plates21, gear 9 and sleeve 10 forced mesh with thefiy-wheel-gear teeth 17. ,Then toward the left in Figure 1. The pinionthe spring 20, which at this time is under and end-plates are mounted onthe squared considerable compression, forces the sleeve reduced portionof the sleeve 10, so that 10 and withit the pinion 12, leftward, sorotation of the gear 9 effects rotation of that the pinion is thusbrought fully into the sleeve'10.' The gear 9 abuts the shoulder meshwith the fly-wheel gear 5. In this way, 37 on the sleeve 10. Theend-plates have 12c contact between collar and pinion or the intwoend-plates together providing a cup internally projecting. flanges 38engaging in a peripheral groove 39 in the sleeve,.so that when theend-plates are bolted in position as indicated in Figures 1, 2 and theflanges 38 together with the shoulder 37 of the sleeve 10 hold the gear9 securely against sliding movement upon said sleeve.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the engine is to be started, power is applied to the motor, to setits shaft 7 and pinion 8 in rotation. This rotates the gear 9 and sleeve10. The pinion 12 does not acquire thespeed of rotation ofthe sleeve 10,owing to the inertia of the pinion or other means. This relativerotation of sleeve and pinion, the former at a higher speed than thelatter, causes the pinion to travel to the left until its teeth. 18engage the teeth 17 onthe gear 5 mounted upon the fly-wheel 4 of theengine 1. Ordinarily, the teeth 18 and 17 will mesh; and the leftwardtravel of the pinion 12 is cushioned and limited by the tapered coilspring 26,

or the dished spring Washer 33. Further rotation of the motor causes therotation of the pinion 12, since further leftward movement of the pinionis prevented," this sets the fly-wheel gear 5 in rotation, and startsthe engine. The tapering of the teeth 17 and 18 (Figure 4) facilitatesthe inter-meshing of the same. If, however, the teeth 17 and 18 meetendto end, so that leftward movement of the pinion 12 is prevented, arightward movement of the sleeve 10 is caused, since the pinion 12 andsleeve 10 must have a relative axial move ment owing to their relativerotation and the screw-threaded mounting of the pinion.

The rightward movement of the sleeve 1() is opposed by the lightcompression spring 20. The rightward movement of the sleeve and partsmounted thereon brings the spring washer 33 against the. left end 28 ofthe pinion 12 and the compression or flattening of the latter as well asa possible compression of the spring 26 exerts pressure on the pinion,and the increasing friction between the rotating collar 25 and thestationary pinion 12 or between the threads of the pinion and sleeve, orboth, finally forces the latter to rotate slightly, enough to bring itsteeth 18 into mesh with the teeth 17 of the fly-wheel gear 5. It may benoted that by this arrangement of using a light spring in conjunctionwith the relatively heavy spring 26, there is a complete cushioning ofthe shock occasioned not only by the rightward axial movement of thesleeve, but the application of torque to the pinion to relieve thejamming condition is also gradual. This is here accomplished withoutsacrificing the heavy spring action when the parts are gripped togetherin cranking the engine. It may be noted that if the spring 26 is oftapered cross section as shown in the drawings, with its lesser tion,its leftward movement is no longer opposed by the teeth 17 and it isshifted toward the left by the expansion of the spring 20. The teeth 17and 18 are thus brought into mesh, and further rotation of the motorserves to start the engine in the same manner as if no incipient jamminghad occurred. hen the engine has begun to rotate under its own power,disengagement of the fly-wheel gear 5 and the pinion 12 is effected,preferably as set forth in my Patent 1,095,696, hereinbefore referredto; this movement being accelerated if at this time the power is shutoff from the motor. When the pinion 12 approaches the rightward limit ofits travel along the sleeve 10, the pin 15 on the pinion snaps over thespring 16 on the gear, and when the pinion has come to rest, theco-operation of spring 16 and pin 15 serves as a detent to prevent theaccidental rotation of the pinion, due to the vibration of the apparatuswhile the engine or car is in motion.

From the above, it will be seen that there is provided apparatus inwhich the objects of the invention are realized, and other advantageousresults obtained.

As various changes might be made inthe above construction, and as theabove invention might be embodied in different forms, it is intendedthat all matter set forth in the above description and in theaccompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and'not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine, adriving connection therefor including normally disengaged gearsrelatively movable to bring theteeth of said gears into mesh, and meansfor automatically effecting relative rotation of said gears by movementinto contact with one of them to bring them into mesh when their teethmeet end to end.

2. In'apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine, adriving connection therefor including a normally disengaged gear andpinion relatively movable to bring the teeth ofgear and pinion intomesh, and means movable into contact with the pinion and actingautomatically upon the jamming of pinion teeth against gear teeth, torotate the pinion into mesh with the gear.

3. Tn apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine, agear connected to the engine, a pinion means whereby the pin- 1on ismoved into engagement with the gear during the starting operation, andmeans .for

automatically rotating the pinion and actuated into contact therewithwhen the pinion teeth and the gear teeth meet end to end.

4. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a drivingconnection for an engine starting motor including a normally disengagedgear and inion relatively movable axially to bring t e gear teeth andpinion teeth into mesh, and means acting automatically upon an incipientjammnng of gear teeth against pinion teeth end to end, to eflect arelative rotation of. gear and pinion by operative contact with one ofthem to thereby bring said gear teeth and said pinion teeth into mesh.

5. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine-drivengear, a motor-driven pinion shiftable axially into and out of engagementwith said gear, means effective after the meshing of gear teeth andpinion teeth, for limiting the axial movement of the pinion andsimultaneously forcing said pimon to rotate, said last-named means beingautomatically effective to force the rotation of the. pinion when thepinion teeth and gear teeth meet end to end.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatableshaft, a driving member mounted thereon for rotary movement therewithand longitudinal movement thereof, said shaft having a radiallyprojecting member, and a substantially flat spring secured to one faceof said member and having a hump portion, said spring being located in aplane at right angles to the axis of rotation of said shaft, saiddriving member having a projection adapted to be engaged by said humpportion when such driving member is in normal position.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatablescrew shaft, a pinion threaded thereon, a gear drivingly attached to theshaft, and a substantially flat spring secured to one face of the gearand having a hump portion, said pinion havin a pro ection adapted to beengaged by sai hump portion when the pinion is in normal position.

8. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine-drivenear, a motor-driven pinion slidably axial y into and out of engagementwith said gear, means for limiting the axial movement of the pinion intoengagement with the gear, and means for frictionally engaging the pinionto rotate the same when during a starting operation the pinion teeth andgear teeth meet end to end.

9. An apparatus of the class described, in

combination, an engine-driven gear, a motor-,

driven pinion axially movable into mesh which said pinion is mounted,means adapted to exert a relatively light cushioning effect tocushionand limit the axial movement of the pinion into engagement withthe gear, and means offering a relatively heavy resistance to relativeaxial shifting of sleeve and pinion during a jammin of the teeth,wherebya relatively strong rictional drive between sleeve and inion iseffected to rotate the pinion an break said -jam.

10. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, anengine-driven gear, a motor-driven pinion axially movable into meshtherewith, a sleeve on which said pinion is mounted, and means adaptedto exert a relatively light cushioning effect to cushion and limit theaxial movement of the pinion into engagement with the gear, said meansofferin a relatively heavy resistance to relative axial shifting ofsleeve and pinion during ajamming of the teeth, whereby a relativelystrong frictional drive between sleeve and pinion is eifected to rotatethe pinion and thereby break said jam.

11. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, anengine-driven gear, a motor-driven gear, a'sleeve having a reducedportion upon which said motor-driven gear is mounted, a pinion upon saidsleeve adapted to travel into mesh with said engine-driven gear, andmeans fitting into a peripheral groove in said reduced portion toprevent relative axial movement of gear and sleeve.

12. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, anengine-driven. gear, a motor-driven pinion shiftable axially into andout of engagement with said gear, a sleeve upon which said pinion ismounted, a motor-driven gear upon a squared end of said sleeve, a pairof end-plates secured to said gear and together forming a cup,internally projecting flanges upon said endplates engaging in aperipheral groove in said squared end of said sleeve, and a springfitted in said cupand bearing against a fixed portion of the apparatus,whereby an axial thrust is maintained upon said sleeve.

13. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an enginedriven gear, a longitudinally movable driven sleeve externally threaded,a pinion threaded on said sleeve for axial movement into and out of meshwith said gear, and means for limiting such axial travel of the pinionon the sleeve after such pinion has meshed with the gear and forrotating said pinion into mesh with the gear in case of the abutting ofthe gear teeth and the pinion teeth.

14. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, anengine-driven gear, a motor-driven sleeve externally threaded and Imounted for axial movement, an internally therewith, an axially movablesleeve upon thereby threaded pinion mounted on said sleeve for axialtravel of the pinion on the sleeve after the pinion has meshed with thegear, to

- force the pinion to rotate the gear, said said gear,

sleeve being mounted for axial movement against the action of a spring,whereby, when the pinion teeth and gear teeth meet end to end andfurther axial travel of the pinion on the sleeve is thereby prevented,the continued rotation of the sleeve efi'ects an axial movement of thesleeve to brin said resilient means into engagement wit the pinion torotate the pinion into mesh with the gear, said spring thereuponrestoring the sleeve to its initial axial posltion andtherebysimultaneously movmg the pinion into mesh with the gear 15. Inapparatus of the class described, in combination, an engine driven gear,a motor, a pinion, a rotary member driven from said motor on which saidp1I 110I1 1S mounted, means adapted to move said pinion into mesh withsaid gear, and means aside from said rotary member tendlng to apply arotary force to said pinion asats teeth meet those of said gear inapproaching meshing position.

16. In apparatus of the-class described, 1n combination, an enginedriven gear, a motor, a pinion driven from said motor, means adapted tomesh said pinion with said gear, and a device having separate resilientmeans providing different resistances to compression, into operativerelation With which said pinion is brought as it goes into mesh.

17. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an enginedriven gear, a motor, an endwise movable threaded member driven fromsaid motor, a pinion threaded on said member in position to move thereoninto mesh with said gear, and a device actuated by endwise movement ofsaid threaded member adapted to move said pinion relatively to said gearinto meshing position upon the teeth of said pinion and gear meeting endto end.

18. In apparatus of the class described, in

combination, an engine driven gear, a motor,

a threaded member driven from said motor, a pinion threaded on saidmember 1n posltion to travel on its threads int-o mesh with ing end ofsaid pinion a apted to apply a rotary force thereto upon the teeth ofsaid pinion meeting those of said gear end to end.

19. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an enginedriven gear, a

motor, a non-rotary spindle, a threaded sleeve. mounted on said spindleand freely rotatable and driven from saidmotor, and a pinion threadedupon said sleeve in position to enter into mesh with the teeth of saidgear.

20. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, an enginedriven gear, a motor, a rotary threaded member driven and means engagingthe enter-' member driven from said motor in position to enter into meshwith said gear, and a single device adapted to cushion the shock ofentry of said pinion within said gear and actuated by the threadedmember to appl a rotary force to said pinion upon the teet theireofmeeting those of said gear end to en 22. In apparatus of the classdescribed, a drive comprising normally disengaged gears relativelymovable to bring the teeth of said gears into mesh, and means movablerelatively towards and into contact with one of said gears and adaptedto slightly rotate the latter. in the event of the abutting of saidteeth,

23. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising normallydisengaged gears relatively movable to bring the teeth of said gearsinto mesh, and means operative as an incident to the abutting of saidteeth and movable into contact with one of said gears to slightly rotateit to overcome such abutting condition.

24. In apparatus of the class described, a dr1ve comprising normallydisengaged gears relatively movable to bring the teeth of said gearsinto mesh, and friction means" movable into contact with one of saidgears to rotate it upon the abutting of said teeth.

25. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising normallydisengaged ears relatively movable to bring the teeth 0 said gears intomesh, and means normally out of contact with but adapted to apply agradually increasing rotative pressure to one of said gears upon theabutting of said teeth.

26. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising normallydisengaged gears relatively movable to bring the teeth of said gearsinto mesh, and means for applying a gradually increasing frictionalrotative pressure to one of said gears upon the abutting of said teeth.

27. In apparatus of the class described,

a drive comprising normally engaged gears,

one of which is moved axially to bring the teeth of the two gears intomesh, and rotatable means movable relatively to and into contact withthe axially movable gear to slightly rotate the latter in the event ofthe abutting of said teeth.

28. In apparatus of the class described,

'a drive comprising a rotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereonfor rotary movement therewith and for longitudinal movement thereof intoengagement with a member of the engine to be started, and means carriedby said shaft and movable into engagement with the driving member toslightly rotate it in the event of the arrest of its longitudinalmovement during the rotation of said shaft.

29. In apparatus of j the class described, a drive comprising arotatable shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for rotary movementtherewith and for longitudinal movement thereof into engagement with amember of the engine to be started, said shaft being mounted forlongitudinal movement, and means carried by said shaft and moved by thelongitudinal movement of the shaft into engagement with the drivingmember to slightly rotate it in the event of the arrest of itslongitudinal movement during the rotation of said shaft.

30. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatablescrew shaft, a pinion threaded on the shaft for rotary movementtherewith and for longitudinal movement thereof into engagement with amember of the engine to be started, and neans carried by said shaft andmovable into contact with the pinion to slightly rotate it in the eventof the arrest of its l6ngitu'dinal movement during the rotation of saidshaft.

31. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatablescrew shaft, a

"pinion threaded on the shaft for rotary -movement therewith and forlongitudinal movement thereof into engagement with a member of theengine to be started, and

means for cushioning the full longitudinal movement of the pinion in itsengagement with the engine member and for slightly rotating such pinionin the event of its partial longitudinal movement due to the arrestthereof.

32. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatablescrew shaft, a pinion threaded on the shaft for rotary movementtherewith and for longitudinal .movement thereof into engagement with amember of the engine to be started, said shaft being mounted forlongitudinal movement, and means mounted on the shaft and forming astopfor the full longitudinal movement of the pinion and a rotatableactuating device adapted to slightly rotate the pinion in the event ofits partial longitudinal movement and the. longitudinal movement of theshaft.

33. In apparatus of the class described, a drive comprising a rotatablescrew shaft,

a pinion threaded on the shaft for rotary JOSEPH BIJUR.

